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“Each conscious moment must contain three elements: A realization and awareness of C Influence; the emergence of one’s Third Eye; and the mastery of one’s lower self. The lower self can fake the second and third but not the first. The Sequence and the Four Worldless (sic) Breaths accomplishes (sic) all three when done successfully.”

The above quotation was from a meeting led by Linda K*pl*n last November. She shared this quote, and the entirely of her meeting notes, with FoF members following the meeting. It was not copyrighted.

What I find interesting is how so many “older students” have given up all pretense of understanding and verification in favor of drinking the Kool-Aid and eating the cotton candy that RB has served up. Not only does the above quote contain nothing of spiritual value, or even of any truth, but in fact does great harm by the attempt to convince others that Ms. K is nearly a “conscious being” with “all the answers,” while everyone else will just never get it.

Breaking down the quote:

“Each conscious moment…” – What a lie told to oneself, and what a burden demanded from oneself, to expect that a “conscious moment” contains all this. But then Ms. K’s motive here is set up an impossible aim for the “young students” following her (in her imagination), and for them to believe in Ms. K’s superior “being.” How about: A conscious moment is one in which “we” (whoever “we” are) are, for whatever reason, more awake (as happens from time to time), and more aware than usual of what we are doing, saying, hearing, feeling, thinking or sensing. I wonder if Ms. K has ever experienced a “conscious moment.”

“…the emergence of one’s Third Eye…” – as if this is under our control.

“…mastery of one’s lower self.” – I wonder if Ms. K has any idea of the scope and scale of such a statement. And is it really “mastery” that is needed, or knowledge of the “machine,” especially the “psychological” aspects? Is Ms. K master over her emotional reactions and other buffers? If not, she really should not be making statements that imply she is.

“The lower self can fake the second and third but not the first.” – Without any doubt the “lower self” can fake the “awareness of C Influence.” FoF members, led by Ms. K, claim to have a constant connection and communication with “C Influence,” so as not to appear stupid and unenlightened. And then look at RB faking the “visitation” of “The Absolute.” Yes, people in the FoF have been faking their “verification of C Influence” for as long as the FoF’s existence, or at least since RB implanted that particular belief into everyone’s psyche way back when. (Not to say or imply that my world does not include entities or beings from who knows where, existing somewhere, with varying levels of “vibration,” for who knows exactly what purpose. But that’s my reality, no longer borrowed from someone else.)

“The Sequence and the Four Worldless (sic) Breaths…” – The experience of being more awake, especially the quantum leap of actually feeling ourselves suddenly and literally to have awakened, has to be one of the profoundest and most mysterious of all human experiences. To trivialize it by claiming (as Burton and Ms. K do) that anyone can awaken merely by intoning a mantra of 6 particular words in a very specific sequence, following by 4 breaths without words, is either (1) never to have known the experience of (I’ll call it) “higher centers” suddenly waking up, or (2) flat-out, intentional, criminal lying to the flock in order to be thought of as more conscious than anyone else.

I knew her for many years. She was an officious asshole then…she’s much worse now. She believes her own myth, although her vanity has always been epic.. She is an abomination. The present membership fully deserves her. And she deserves herself. No matter where she goes, she wakes up in the morning, and there she is. She would be her own punishment if she actually had the capacity for self awareness, shame, empathy…you know…all the human traits that raise us above the level of a snail.

If anyone has the stomach for it, the July 4 festivities can be viewed on Facebook, including Linda K giving the toast, and some shots of RB (no pun intended). There is also a performance by some children singing songs like “This Land is Your Land.” Total “jack of hearts” of course. But for the first time I observed the hypnotic effect of those mass emotions, including a most comforting feeling of sharing emotions with lots of other people.

…a convenient receptacle to contain a follower’s self-doubt and critical thoughts about the FOF.

Also it is a great tool to internally “divide and conquer” followers, convincing them to mistrust themselves, trusting only those who place themselves in authority positions in the cult.

It’s no wonder the FOF demonizes the unconscious part of the psyche…one of the only ways to spot the hidden agenda of a charming sociopath is to trust your gut feeling.

“Awareness of Influence C”

…a superstitious belief, not an “awareness”, instilled by magical thinking and ideas of reference.

The original definition of Influence C was influence that came directly from a living being, instead of from books (B Influence).

burton has used a “bait and switch” strategy to form a cult of spiritualists who believe in beneficent ghosts and spirits (but apparently not malevolent ones).

It’s noteworthy to me that the criteria of a “bona fide conscious moment” must include “awareness” of “beings” outside of one’s self.

IMO, this because of the autonomous and unseen nature of the unconscious part of us.

For me, that indicates if a person entertains beliefs of “supernatural beings”, then their self concept has not extended beyond the level of personality to include their inner guru…they project it outward.

“The third eye”

In an attempt to map the psyche, Freud called this the “super ego”, or the theoretical part of the psyche watching over the ego or personality, often chastising the ego or personalty with “should” or “shouldn’t”.

IMO, the “third eye” and super ego concepts are derived from having had parents and caregivers watching over us when we were children. Over time we incorporate the voices and hovering presence of our parents, then rebel in order to individuate, effectively relegating the voices to the unconscious.

A better name for it would be “the evil eye”.

I pity anyone who considers the “third eye” is the “higher self”, for in my experience this aspect of our psyche can be cruel and unforgiving…as evidenced by the cult’s inhumane behavior regarding silencing dissent among followers.

In 1967 Robert Earl Burton attended a meeting led by Alexander Horn, and immediately knew that he had found what he had been seeking. Mr. Horn conducted a group based on the Gurdjieff-Ouspensky ideas that used theater as a form for work on oneself. Burton devoted himself to studying the Fourth Way and to participating in Mr. Horn’s group. After eighteen months, however, Robert Burton found it necessary to part from his teacher, realizing that Mr. Horn’s teaching methods were no longer serving his aim.

Euphemisms, euphemisms!
Yep, I’m sure Burton “immediately knew that he had found what he had been seeking”.

Indeed:
• How to control a flock of sheep and the means to shear them—practical examples of how to run a cult…
• Big lies work much better than little lies.
• One can convince people of the biggest whoppers by mixing in a little bit of the truth.
• One can convince people that the most unlikely things are true if spoken with intense, unflinching conviction.
• One can persuade otherwise intelligent people that the evidence in front of their lying eyeballs is false if you can say so with complete certainty.
• Think big: claim ultimate authority—claim you are chosen to be the exclusive messenger of powerful angels and sole interpreter of the signs they deign to reveal.

“Burton devoted himself to studying the Fourth Way…”
…And the arts of just how the most successful wolves disguise themselves in sheep’s clothing.
And how to persuade followers that psychological abuse was the same as kindly guidance, and self-abuse was indistinguishable from legitimate efforts to work on oneself.
And how to cherry-pick from the ‘fragments of an unknown teaching’ the bits and pieces that suited his agenda, and disregard the rest.

“After eighteen months, however…”
Yes, Horn wouldn’t share. He was making $40,000 a month in 1970*, according to one follower. He fucked the women in the flock, but wouldn’t let Burton fuck the men. Remember, Burton’s aim was also to gratify himself and make a luxurious living off his followers. And Horn certainly wasn’t going to share in the loot, or even put him ‘on salary’! Besides, because of unnecessarily brutal and public physical abuse, the turnover was way too high. How about being more cunning about it? Why not borrow some phrases from the San Francisco flower children of the time and claim this is a ‘school of love’?

O.K., Burton struck off on his own. He had learned to recognize needy people, reflected their needs back to them, reformulated and voiced their concerns, and convinced them he innately understood their inner worlds. After applying what he had learned, let them convince others in their turn. But that would still limit the dollar and sperm ‘donations’, so he invented 44 (later 45) invisible, all–powerful helpers, able to justify and help handle any number of followers. Now we’re rollin’! For a greedy, grasping literally insatiable hasnamuss, nothing succeeds like excess.
It was a good gig from the start, but it seems reasonable to infer that Burton was not absolutely certain of continuing his excesses until 1978. We can reliably infer this because he kept on renewing his school teaching credentials until then (thanks, Veronicapoe). That was also when what were formerly ‘suggestions’ became absolute commands.

And no–one permitted in their turn to part from this charlatan, when they realized that Robert Earl Burton’s ‘teaching methods’ were no longer serving their aims. No siree, only damnation and darkness and gnashing of teeth for those reaching for their freedom.

* $40k in 1970 had the same buying power as $256,161.27 in 2017 dollars, according to an inflation calculator I found on the ‘net.

**** Demagogues, Solzhenitsyn reminds us, are stunted and shallow people. “Unlimited power in the hands of limited people always leads to cruelty.” *****

Whilst headed towards the obvious result for all of us – the big d – has there ever been any evolution for any of us – ins or outs, short term or long term. Do we secretly suspect that Burton will come to a sickly, squishy demise, bringing tears of joy, firstly from OH and environs ‘outties’ and then ricocheting around the globe where many have in any manner made a life out of life for themselves, have advanced in compassion, life skills and the ability to be in harmony with their neighbor, unfettered by the rules of a cult? This is all postulation,

One of the outstanding memories from time spent in the FOF was the constant reminder of how, at the time of death there would be nothing there. So the solution which was recommended by the leaders and other students was to do more of what had been suggested… being present, dividing attention taking in impressions etc. The pressure to do more evoked fear that not enough was being done and paranoia which drove more “efforts” which only increased the fear and paranoia. This is the dark side of obsessive Compulsive behavior when you start to believe that if you do not practice some ritualistic behavior something very bad will happen. This is the danger of closed group programming. The group view becomes the only respected view and everyone else is misguided. The solution was to stop these ritualistic behaviors slowly to see that nothing bad happens. There has been a lot written on obsessive compulsive disorder which can be very helpful. It is unfortunate that at this time the term OCD is used in a casual way. It can be very serious and frightening experience.

A bit about Miles Barth who passed away. I liked Miles a lot and he was very helpful to me on several occasions. Once when I was sick with ulcers from a self imposed eating disorder and again when I was well… going nuts. The last time I saw Miles I had just spoken to RB. Miles asked me why I wanted to speak to RB and I said “to thank him for his efforts”. Miles asked what did Robert say? I told him I wanted to take in what had been said. MIles was not happy that I would not share what was said. He told me if I did not tell him what RB said I could not be in the school. I corrected him and said “you mean the Fellowship”. I had a veiw of “school” being much greater than this group of people. That was the only time I saw him drop that “I am in control and awere” personality he maintained. I left the FOF soon after this exchange. I understand his leaving helped others to decide to leave but that was long after I left.

I realize this may be getting too personal, if so I apologize – but I’m wondering if after these many years you would feel comfortable relating the discussion between yourself and Burton? It sounds like you left the FOF soon after this interaction with Burton (and a subsequent exchange with Barth), so I’m wondering if your interaction with Burton might be germane to general discussion here? Or maybe your decision to leave had more to do with the interaction with Barth ? Did your interactions have to do with an intention to leave the FOF? Or had you already made up your mind ? etc, etc. I think any insights along these lines could be a useful addition to the “record” kept here… if you’re comfortable with relating the story.

Every time someone says, “it was not copyrighted,” I think, they do not understand how copyright works. Since March 1, 1989, the effective date of the United States’ adoption of the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works, if you create an original work of authorship in the United States (and in many other countries), it is protected by the law of copyright from the moment you created it . Registration confers additional rights over and above those you get automatically by operation of law when you create an original work of authorship. But any original work of authorship you create is automatically protected, and this has been true for more than a quarter century.

It was not my intention to be dramatic or suspenseful in my last post.

My meetings with Robert for the most part were not very interesting like the time I told him I thought I should seriously consider going to Tibet. I was a repenting stoner, “deeply in a feature” as we would say back then. The last time I went to him I had spent a lot of time formulating a “real question”. The question was, in our student-teacher relationship “was the effort made?” As in the were the required efforts to assure eternal life made?. I think I had read somewhere that this is the only real question. Somehow this made sense to me at the time. He said “you are over self indulging” “Bryan thinks too much” “You need to listen to the music and look at the flowers” He then kind of dismissed me and said something like go up to the Lincoln Lodge and sweep the kitchen floor. This was around 1974 or 1975 I was around 22 years old and I thought he was celibate.

Many recollections of interactions with Burton – the emptiness of Burton – the ‘being’ who would only respond via the emptiness of his moments.. He was hungering for the next ‘young heterosexual man episode’, of course. When I look back, how trite were the little phrases that issued from his major facial orifice – how much we doted on his weedy words, his sinuous sentences and how the whole thing was about his ‘worthiness’ and who would enable him. I doubt whether anything from Miles Barth would have changed the scenario. Burton will probably go to his grave (or will they build a mausoleum?) totally assured that the lies in which he believed – which never pertained to the evolution of anyone else – were gratified and verified.

13. Yes, correct information. Sanitized emails, one even including a video of RB in his hospital bed, are being sent daily. Real information, of course, is impossible to obtain. There should be a spike in donations this month.

In the end, he will slip away, unrepentant, having fucked up innumerable people, having no regrets. And people like Linda, or the current Butt Boy will crawl up his dead ass like a slug and emerge from the fetid chrysalis as the new hope. The “school” will lose most of it’s losers and there will be a core left who will try to climb the unfettered ladder of psychopathic dysfunction that remains.

I wonder, were the stents 18k gold Hermes stents? Did they use KY to help with the insertion? He is not unlike Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. Only the Baron had more integrity and substance.

I can’t guess at the real numbers, but there are many “students” I know who will bolt at the first opportunity; i.e. when they can justify leaving because RB has retired or died. But they won’t/can’t leave before that. They are stuck in the circle and can’t get out.

Somehow, anyone who remains a member until RB’s end, no matter how little they think they are paying, never actually separates from him. Waking up from the trance, it would seem, has to happen during RB’s tenure, so that there is a real struggle to become free. There’s some parallel here in regards to becoming free from the programming of one’s family. It’s a lie to wait until RB is dead to proclaim one is free from him.

Consider these two accounts of a Gurdjieff story.
(This one and another in my next posting.)

“In 1888 the 16-year-old Gurdjieff witnessed a strange incident: he saw a little boy, weeping and making strange movements, struggling with all his might to break out of a circle drawn around him by other boys. Gurdjieff released the boy by erasing part of the circle and the child ran from his tormentors. The boy, Gurdjieff learned, was a Yezidi. He had heard only that Yezidis were “a sect living in Transcaucasia, mainly in the regions near Mount Ararat. They are sometimes called devil-worshippers.” Astonished by the incident, Gurdjieff made a point of telling us that he felt compelled to think seriously about the Yezidis. Inquiring of the adults he knew, he received contradictory opinions representative of the usual, prejudiced view of the Yezidis. But Gurdjieff remained unsatisfied.”

In his book Meetings with Remarkable Men, George Gurdjieff describes a strange event he witnessed as a young man. He recounts being deeply involved in his studies when he suddenly heard a boy’s scream. As he ran over to investigate, he saw a Yezidi boy trapped inside of a circle drawn on the ground by a group of mischievous youths.

Gurdjieff asked the boys who had drawn the circle what was going on. They told him that when you put a Yezidi inside of a circle, they cannot get out. Gurdjieff went over to the circle and rubbed out part of it with his foot. The Yezidi boy saw the opening through this “magic” circle and fled through it. This dumbfounded Gurdjieff.

Gurdjieff learned that Yezidis are a sect living in Transcaucasia, mostly in the area around Mt. Ararat. Gurdjieff was so blown away by the incident he witnessed of the magic circle that several years later he conducted his own experiments. He had drawn a circle around a petite Yezidi woman and it took two strong men to pull her out of the circle. But taking her out of this circle by force caused her to go into an immediate swoon or state of catalepsy. Gurdjieff also learned that the women’s mental state returned to normal as soon as she was brought back into the circle! Otherwise, it took many hours outside the circle before she could return to normal. Apparently there was a very strange force more powerful than one’s normal strength that kept such a person imprisoned in such a magic circle

Gurdjieff ultimately discovered the mechanism behind this strange phenomena of the human psyche and offers clues to its understanding in his various books. But one has to make real effort not only towards intellectually grasping the mechanism and power of a magic circle, but also to becoming personally alert to recognizing similar forms of its manifestation in daily life. (Otherwise there is no practical lesson to be learned.)

This happened to me while attending a church service one Sunday. Being bored with the ritual of worship I happened to look out a large window for some new experience and began to meditate on “deep” subjects. Suddenly, I felt an elbow jab me in the ribs.

I turned in the direction of the jab and saw that a fellow member of the church had noticed that I wasn’t singing along with everybody else and offered me a hymnal book, thinking that I was unable to find one on my own. The person in question was well meaning and full of good intention, but became a little uncomfortable when I waved off the book and continued to look out the window.

Later, after the church service, there was a “fellowship hour” where people could strengthen bonds while enjoying food brought in by all the members. Sometimes I would be so inspired to have conversations about important spiritual topics during this allotted time that I would completely lose my appetite for terrestrial food. I began to notice that both my persistence in having deep discussions and not choosing to eat the food, so artfully displayed on the table, made most of the congregational members uncomfortable with me. I was not conforming to their established customs and conventions—drilled into them over long periods of time.

Finally, I realized that I was outside their “magical” circle of automatic behavior. It would be naïve of me to expect other members to escape this difficult situation since this weekly routine was “fixed” and “hard-wired” into their consciousness and there was no need to question it. Besides, a person would not be considered “normal” acting outside the accepted procedures of this circle. Thus “normalcy” is a powerful and strange force that keeps people within their magical circle.”

Some of the characteristics thought to pertain to a Man 5 thru 7 – awakened to fully crystallized…WILL, ABILITY TO ‘DO’, REAL ‘I’, ABILITY TO KEEP AIM…As we know, Burton has DESIRE OF WHIM, CANNOT ‘DO’ ANYTHING FOR HIMSELF AND EVEN NEEDS OTHERS TO GIVE HIM AN ERECTION, HAS A WARDROBE OF…A JEWELRY BOX OF…AND OTHER RECEPTACLES OF…THE SEMBLANCES THAT MAKE ‘THE MANY, MANY, MANY ‘I’S’ AND AIMS AT THE NEXT FOREIGN CITY AND ELITE RESTAURANT FOR HIS NEXT DALLIANCE.

As for followers, they gave up any self-esteem and little will they had to become a herd of (well, sheep are smarter!) and , for them, leaving would show them their own nothingness handed to them by Burton and enablers.

It’s a ghastly thought. Burton, the wrinkled, pale slug, oozing out of his hospital gown, lying there in the bed, wallowing in self–pity (it used to be an act, but I came to believe thirty years ago that some part of him truly believes he really is hard done by, lives a life of noble self–sacrifice ‘for his students’).

Surrounded by the lucky chosen, puffed with self–importance, half eager, half fearful:
-What if he conks out right in front of me?
-Can I remember CPR from that movie three decades ago?
-I might be the one who hears his last words…
-Am I supposed to do the Sequence right now?
-Did I hear that right–he wants me to go to the bathroom, wank off and bring me the sperm in a cup?
-What if he appoints me to be his successor on his death bed? He’s always told me I’m the special one…

Re–post from years ago. Needs to be updated to include meetings with the Absolute, invention of the Sequence, yet more failed prophecies, etc.
And yes, I did send a hard copy to Burton himself at the time…

Open Letter to Robert Earl Burton:
You have quite a load on your back, don’t you? For example, you once told me that one of the burdens of being a ‘conscious being’ is that you make about 500 decisions a week concerning your ‘students’ and your ‘school’. Quite an obligation, but I guess it helps that you know all the answers and are such a decisive fellow. How lucky for your followers that you spend so much time minding their business for them. I suppose it’s for the best; they don’t have to think for themselves, and thinking for themselves is dangerous for you.

And what do you expect in return?
On the surface, just the usual adoration or fear, endless opportunities for sex, and of course the unlimited shopping. I say ‘endless’ and ‘unlimited’ because, you being immortal and all that, the need is going to continue, in one form or another, forever, isn’t it?

So, let’s have a look underneath the surface. What drives you?

It would be nice if everyone would just acknowledge you as “the brightest light in 2,000 years” wouldn’t it? You say this so often, it must be really important to you. But I have to ask, though it is so obvious to you, why isn’t it obvious to everyone else? I know you claim that you are so elevated that we mere mortals cannot appreciate your lofty ‘consciousness’, but all the other reputed ‘conscious beings’, including most of the 44 who are supposed to be your friends and allies, left behind significant traces when they exited this plane. At this rate, you will have left behind a worthless, mostly ghost–written book and some unofficial and also worthless sexual records.

It would be nice if you could stop being so needy for sex, huh? Then you could get on with the rest of your day and your life without constantly thinking about how you’re going to get more dick. It is a bit sad that the never–ending quest is permanent, since you are already ‘crystallized’, together with all your baggage. Some baggage! And it is sadder that the next orgasm isn’t going to provide the relief you seek, let alone the next thousand or ten thousand. And sadder still that your need is going to continue when you drop your body, and your nerve endings are no longer available to stimulate.

It would be nice if you could live your life without the support of drugs, wouldn’t it? It must be awful knowing that none of your partners actually desire you, that they only have erections because you make them take Viagra or because they stimulate themselves to simulate desire. And imagine being truly calm inside, instead of the fake calm of tranquilizers. Imagine having self–control, to not have to reach out for this pill or that to mask your emptiness, imagine not having pills control you.

It would be nice if you could bear to be alone and live with yourself and your thoughts, wouldn’t it? You’ve never slept alone in forty years, and you surround yourself with human company every waking hour, yet you’ve never reached another human, nor has a human reached you. But, you are going to die alone. And at the moment of death (not before, because in my opinion you are a coward), you will have to face the truth. You will be dying never knowing the difference between being adored for your position and being loved for yourself. You will be dying having never loved another human unconditionally, and so you will have lived a worthless life. Less than worthless, because you have left behind many people who have suffered as a result of your stay on earth, who have suffered because of your mental illnesses and colossal weaknesses. Less than worthless, because you have left behind a body of deluded followers, who must suffer needlessly as they in turn have to rediscover the truth about themselves and their situation. Less than worthless because you never earned your keep, you fed off others your entire life, and you never repaid the debt you owed for the gift of your life. Less than worthless because you led the life of a parasite and never contributed anything to the common weal. Less than less than worthless, because you not only never tried to repair the immense damage you caused, but you never even acknowledged it, or felt pity or remorse.

It would be nice if you could face death with equanimity, wouldn’t it? Then you wouldn’t have to build monuments to your ego. You wouldn’t have to keep on and on and on with the story that you are the founder of the next civilization, that your memory will be revered, your prophecies were useful and accurate, that you had access to secret wisdom, and that humanity will be grateful for your contributions. Wouldn’t that be a relief?

You know, if you could drop that “brightest light in 2,000 years” gig (a.k.a. I’m the most important person in the world, and if only everyone would recognize that, then I’d be happy), then you could see yourself as you actually are:Empty, lonely and frightened. A complete slave to your weaknesses, needs and lusts.

The truth is, when all is said and done, very few agree with your opinion of yourself after they have had a close look at you. And since there is no way to quench your fears or satisfy your desires, you’ll never, ever be happy.
Actually, you’re no different from the rest of us poor shmucks, deep down you want love, approval and appreciation, but your gigantic ego will not countenance being so ordinary and human.

If you ever come to realize this before your death, it will be some meltdown, won’t it?

The only way to truly make a positive change in heart health is to remove the fat from the diet that has coated the interior walls of the arteries. No dairy products, no more oils. Limit fats to whole fats: avocado, walnuts, flax, hemp, chia seeds.

Golden Veil,
My information is that Burton had an actual heart attack (rather than angina), so the stents were placed as an interim measure after the initial panic abated and he was stabilized.
The article you linked to quite correctly points out the high failure rate of stents and the rather higher risk that the stents were not optimally placed, and that there will likely have to be further interventions in the relatively near future. The underlying facts are that Burton has severe coronary artery disease and should have changed to a healthier lifestyle decades ago. Hard to imagine him taking time from his endless vacation and his endless self–indulgences to take care of his body… My guess is that he will go the drug route and choose to take lots of pills rather than change his lifestyle in any meaningful way. And doubtless Leonardo will whisper some advice in his ear, and he’ll let the faithful know that the angels, and even the Absolute, are rooting for him. Whatever, the narcissistic dance will continue until he drops.

Yeah, how can you tell the difference between someone who says, “I am a 900–million–year–old goddess trapped in a man’s body” and someone with advanced dementia? That quote is from twenty–five years ago, and things have gone downhill from there…

Mark your calendars: 23 July 2017, 10 a.m. PDT (U.S. Pacific Daylight Time).
In case it wasn’t clear to anyone, Asaf Braverman is now quite open about his organization. He is offering an introductory meeting with the bold title “How BePeriod functions as a fourth way school”.

As “the brightest light in 2,000 years” fades out, one of his protégés thrusts himself forward to claim his mantle.

The following is mostly for anyone who happens to have landed here looking for more information about Asaf Braverman…
So, here we have it—Asaf Braverman has set himself up as a Fourth Way teacher with a Fourth Way school. For Fourth Way purists, it is worth examining his lineage. His teacher for twenty years was Robert Earl Burton, charlatan, liar and rapist, a hasnamuss. Burton’s teacher in turn was Alex Horn, another charlatan, liar and rapist, also a hasnamuss. There the trail ends. Horn just cobbled together a bunch of stuff from Fourth Way books and his new wife, plus whatever else struck his fancy, and made his preposterous claims. His point of desire was power over credulous followers, money and sex, and he attracted them in abundance. One of those he attracted was Robert Earl Burton, who studied the setup and decided he could go one better. Burton’s point of desire was also power over credulous followers, money and sex, and he also attracted them in abundance. And he also inevitably attracted would–be psychopathic predators who wanted the same, and who came to learn how to run a scam; hence the spin–offs, such as Spiral of Friends, etc. And so it goes, more links in the chain of pain.

Back to Asaf Braverman. I’ve listened to his presentations, recorded both before he left the Fellowship of Friends, and after. That is, I’ve forced myself to watch videos people have sent me of him leading meetings, some in conjunction with Burton, some alone. When one watches these videos through time, one can see Braverman’s progress, as he gains more and more confidence. Remember, Burton anointed him, and foretold, with his usual impeccable accuracy, that he was the next Man #5. Watching the videos, when he is with Burton, he is notably fawning and obsequious. When alone, he is quite, quite certain of himself; anyone looking at his BePeriod videos (there are several free ones on YouTube) will note his complete certainty about whatever the subject is. Just like Burton.

Apparently Braverman quickly ascended the ranks of the ‘intellectuals’ in the Fellowship of Friends. Not only was he physically attractive to Burton, but it turns out he was doubly useful, he could provide an intellectual veneer to the nonsense. Which he did, in several ways. Some of the videos I have seen show him interpreting for Burton. Burton utters some inanity, then looks at Asaf, who, if nothing else, has a remarkable capacity to make up bullshit on the spot. In milliseconds, he opens his mouth and a steady stream of soothing associations to the topic flows forth, and any restlessness in the audience of followers is mollified. Imagine what he could do if he had more time… wait, we don’t have to, we can watch the Beperiod videos and see that he is one smooth, smooth operator.
One can also see the development of the ‘new knowledge’, especially the keys. All the Beperiod videos make use of these interpretations, both by analogy and directly. This way, in the minds of his audience, he encourages conflation of past teachings with his own. Just like Burton. Watch how he intersperses his own ideas with those of Gurdjieff or other Fourth Way luminaries. There is even a faux–Gurdjieff or faux–Ouspensky voiceover from time to time. Just like Burton, the quotes are cherry–picked to suit. Just like Burton, he drops pithy quotes and one–liners from past philosophers here and there, even poetry from the likes of Walt Whitman (he, like many famous philosophers of yore, is one of the 45 angels supposedly supporting Burton’s ascent to Man #8+++).

I don’t know if Braverman came up with the idea of the modern Fellowship meetings, wherein the leader presents a series of short thoughts and simultaneously projects some graphic to support each thought in turn, but he has taken that idea and run with it. No longer just static slides, we now have videos with clever dissolves and Ken Burns effects to hypnotize the audience. Sometimes Braverman himself comes forward to earnestly pontificate, sometimes other supporting imagery is in the foreground, but the words just go on and on and on, in a continual, persuasive stream.

Without joining his organization, and of course, never having met him personally, I can’t say whether he claims ‘consciousness’ or not. But the implication is clearly there. There is a ‘teaching’ and he is the ‘Teacher’, however he dresses it up by welcoming comments and questions. He has superior knowledge, and is willing to impart it. In fact, he NEEDS to impart it. He has invested a significant amount of time and money into this project, so it is obviously very important to him. Does he see himself as a spiritually advanced being, able to bring answers to the difficult questions that beset seekers? Or is he one of those setting up the sheep for shearing? Whatever it turns out to be, he is being driven by an extremely strong NEED. A need for recognition, a need for attention, a need for fulfillment, I have no idea. The question is, will sufficient followers come forward to fulfill those needs? For anyone who has landed here as a result of searching for more information on Asaf Braverman—the bottom line is, I advise you to stay away. If you feel that Asaf Braverman is a valid teacher, then at the very least ask him (or anyone you are considering as a teacher) the questions I listed on previous pages: goo.gl/3xW6Ma

Here’s a sample answer to get you going. The very first question I invite you to ask any ‘teacher’ is, “When and what was your last paying job?”. Hint: you might want to ask for a little history as well, to get context. If Asaf were honest, he would certainly include the following. Answer: I’m the scion of a wealthy family which has paid many of my living and travel and legal expenses since I left the Israeli army. I was generously paid for many years by the Fellowship of Friends to lead meetings, do research, travel from center to center internationally to align the thinking of Burton’s followers, and provide moral and intellectual support to Robert Earl Burton and his organization, the Fellowship of Friends. I have also received many valuable gifts and favors from Burton for my various services. Nowadays, I also make money from those who pay for entry to my website and my ‘teachings’.

If you have read this far, you may be saying to yourself, “Ames waffles on about certainty, but obviously he can’t see that he is projecting quite a bit of certainty himself, the f—ing hypocrite! Well, sorry about that, I don’t mean to. What I’m trying to encourage is questioning and more questioning and still more questioning. And verification, real verification, not received wisdom, and certainly not, ‘wait and see, things will become clearer in due course’. And recognizing the tendency towards magical thinking. I’m actually rather uncertain, believe it or not. So, for the record, of course all this is just my personal opinion. An opinion somewhat based on experience; years of seeking, sixteen years in the Fellowship of Friends, twenty-two years to digest that experience. Now I’m a lot closer to seventy than sixty… And of course, I have needs as well. Among them: I want to make useful contributions to my fellow men and women, and in this particular case, feel satisfaction knowing I’ve done my best to warn idealistic seekers to be careful.

Note: I’m preparing a missive about what I consider the misconceptions about self–remembering within the Fellowship of Friends. This (something between mis–understanding and outright fraud) is central to the ‘teaching’ of Robert Burton, and inevitably the ‘teaching’ of his prize student Asaf Braverman in turn. Please have a little patience and consider what I have to say about that before you waste your time and money on the Fellowship or Braverman. Coming soon, I hope.

Q. What is self-delusion?
A. A person who imagines himself what he is not.
“This imagination is so strong that the self-deluded man does not doubt he is what he thinks himself to be! He feels he really is this or that person. This delusion is very positive but it is, after all, delusion. And although these men are not hypocritical, they are dangerous, but not so seriously.
“Self-delusion is unfortunate but hypocrisy is inexcusable. The self-deluded doesn’t know, but thinks that he knows. The hypocrite knows that he does not know, but pretends that he does.”

Over there in la–la land, a.k.a. Apollo and the homesteads of members of the Fellowship of Friends around Oregon House, there are big stirring in the tiny pond. As Burton slowly fades out, the hopes and fears of his followers are probably coming into sharper focus. Will Burton recover, and if he does, what capacity will he have to keep the joint delusions going? What after Robert Burton? It wasn’t supposed to be like this, he was supposed to live to guide the faithful as they, and only they, survived the nuclear annihilation of every other human being on the planet. He was supposed to continue interceding with powerful angels on their behalf after the final disaster, and lead them to found a new civilization. Even the Absolute recently “performed an act of humility” for him!

And now, his body is failing fast after decades of abuse. The future of the organization and the fate of its leaders hangs in the balance. He canned the last person to suggest he retire gracefully and let younger and more competent leaders take over—that would be Asaf Braverman. So, who will step forward, and will the laity accept their leadership? Who will contend? Linda Kaplan, who by now must be either the ‘oldest student’ or close to it? One of the anointed as a ‘future conscious being’, yet not confirmed as such in time (as far as we know)? Is it inevitably Dorian, with the support of Sacha? Maybe a leader brought forward by a group of saner, ‘more sensible’ older followers horrified by that idea? Why not Rowena Taylor, who must be seething with ambition and the same resentment as every other female in the group who have been arbitrarily informed by Burton that “females cannot become conscious”. Why not?). She could certainly lead the group as ably as Dorian or Linda Kaplan or Kevin Brown or Steven Dambeck, couldn’t she? Or will the Fellowship Council, led by Robert Taylor, try to assume leadership, on the basis that the Fellowship of Friends is primarily a spiritual organization? Or will the Board finally exert itself and become something other than a rubber stamp for Burton’s decisions?
The trouble is, the members of the Council and the Board and all these possible leaders are weak, mewling sycophants, selected by Burton for their roles precisely because they are weak, uncritical and obedient. Hardly the sort of people to steer the organization through the murky waters and difficulties that will arise when Burton the God–Emperor is gone.

Next week, the part of the Fellowship that is in Oregon House hosts the annual shindig, “Journey Forth”, a now–traditional meeting of the Faithful, attracting participants from all over the world. This event usually has several very important components:
• It is a huge fund raiser—auctions and appeals are held continuously through the days long series of events, and the $$ come rolling in.
• It is a parade of likely meat for Burton, wherein likely victims can be selected and groomed.
• And of course, the most important function is to reinforce the groupthink and sense of specialness, and bind the followers more closely together in Burton’s fantasy.
But, for the first time, Burton won’t be there to preside over the affairs. Instead, he will be spoken about in hushed tones, and the myths will be invented and start circulating. How noble he is, how he is suffering. The videos of him in his hospital bed that have already been circulating will be shown again and again. The pity fest will be in full swing. Things will be patiently explained and interpreted by the ‘older students’. Soothing memes will be circulated. What ifs will be explored, planned and rehearsed.

What if he dies during the celebrations (muted thought they may already be)? Will the ‘powers that be’ have someone ready to step in, or will the struggles for power come to a head then and there?
High on the list of priorities, if not at the top. How will they keep the money coming in?

What if someone claims the throne, then Burton recovers enough to dispute that claim? What if Burton asks Asaf Braverman to come back, all is forgiven? Could he make such a decision stick? Would Asaf accept, and under what conditions? Would Dorian and Rowena and Linda and all the rest accept that?
Whatever, the prayers and incantations and meetings and whispers and speculations over there in Oregon House are probably as thick as smoke…

I think there is one thing you have to bear in mind – the narcissistic psychopath is stronger, more attractive and less easily ‘swayed’ from his determined path than average Joe President or CEO. Many of those vying for position of Head of FOF when Burton ‘pegs it’ are not likely to have the ‘all-encompassing’ energy of Burton. I predict much falling apart in the upper echelons.

Of course you have been advised to not read this blog, so I’m almost certainly wasting my time with this appeal. But maybe a psychic vibration will get through, or someone will pass it along…

You have a great opportunity RIGHT NOW to end the madness. There is some part of you that recognizes that you have been led down a dark and dismal path, no matter how gorgeous the externals, the trinkets and ornaments and endless ‘cultural’ activities, no matter the beautiful surroundings. There is something inside you that recognizes these are masks covering the corruption and emptiness. As Burton gasps for breath, the leaders’ he has appointed or who have clawed their way to the limelight are deciding your future. You have become very used to others making the important decisions in your life, but I beg of you now—take back your power and break free of these people and their machinations. Withdraw your support, leave the organization now, let it wither as it should have done decades ago. Do not accept the claims of the would–be ‘leaders’, why should you? They are just very ordinary people who have been given spiritual and temporal authority by Robert Burton. Without that, they have nothing, are nothing. Why should you follow their directions? They have spent decades being just ciphers, mouthpieces for Burton, and every one of them carries very heavy baggage of their own. They were chosen by Burton for their weaknesses, not their strengths. They were chosen because they were more willing than you to give up their chances for individuation. They were chosen because they are consummate ‘yes men’ and ‘yes women’, not because they have the abilities to manage the organization in the absence of Burton. Take Dorian Mattei, for example. Do you want someone who sells favors for sex to take over your spiritual path? Or Linda Kaplan/Tussolo, do you want someone whose sole moral guidance is, “I was just following orders” to teach you anything? Do you want those like Steven Dambeck who would do anything that Burton ordered, regardless, without question or compunction or care for the consequences to guide you? Do you want any of the other slimy sycophants who did whatever was necessary to please Burton to gain ultimate power in the organization? Do you want the weak fools who comprise the Board of Directors, who were especially selected by Burton because he knew they would never take any independent action, to lead you? Do you really want any of these and other contenders for power to take charge of all the things that are important in your life?

You may have believed that Burton was connected to higher powers, and that those he has selected and groomed to take over have their approval as well. But, look back at the history. Every single person that Burton anointed as a ‘future conscious being’, with the sole exception of Girard Haven, turned out to be a dud. You want someone like Girard to be your leader? Someone who advises you to abandon the idea of verification and instead look for evidence to support received wisdom, you wish such a person to guide you? What does Burton’s sorry record on that score say about his capabilities to choose those who would follow him? Why has he surrounded himself with people that wholeheartedly supported his fantasy, and who never want to graduate from his ‘school’, don’t even consider it possible? Why do none of them ever stand up to him? When the new management take over, you will be required to give your unconditional support to people who were chosen for their colossal weaknesses, not strengths. So, don’t tolerate it. Whatever your history in the Fellowship, recognize that it is over. It’s over. The prophecies were false, the signs and numerology were fake, the whole setup is dead and rotting. Do you want to go to any more meetings where the ‘leaders’ mouth yet more platitudes, project fake meanings into ridiculous symbology and numerology, forge false connections to higher wisdom, snare you deeper into the fantasy?

So what happens if you men and women stop the nonsense, individual by individual? Well, it’s certainly a risk, no question about it. You are heading into unknown territory, especially internally. But, nothing stops you folks being a community. I understand, you have friends, family, houses, commitments. You don’t have to lose any of this. You don’t have to stop trying to be present (though you might want to question the techniques you’ve been told to use), you don’t have to cut yourself off, you don’t have to cut others off, and you can make new friends. You can carry on trying to be a decent human being. You can start to forgive yourself for your complicity in the enormous boondoggle. But not if you stay and support another generation of charlatans. Really, what on earth can Dorian Mattei offer? He has nothing but borrowed authority, pat phrases with no meaningful content, and an acquired taste for loud clothing. He wants your money, your adoration and plenty of sex, like Burton. Of course he does, he has spent twenty years or more exploiting the accident that allowed him to move from Romania and end up in the U.S. with the status of princeling. He has became accustomed to this lifestyle, all courtesy of Burton’s physical desire for him and his own ruthless cunning. But why should you let this continue? He has nothing of value to offer you, he is empty inside, he has spent his adult years conforming to Burton’s will and giving up all possibilities for individuation and graduation. The same goes to any of the contenders for power.

Do you really want those who pursued ‘consciousness at any price’, who think that the ends justifies the means, who are willing to squash their consciences so they could fit in and ascend to power, who want you to do the same, who want you to give them unquestioning obedience, your money, maybe your body, and most importantly, your power—do you want such people to control your lives? In a few weeks, whoever is the most ruthless will have consolidated their power, and you will be required to conform to that reality, to pledge loyalty to them in all areas of your life. Is that what you really, really want?

End it now. Take your future in your own hands. Step away, and end it now. For your own sweet sakes, end it now.

It is strange that most of us (in the 1980’s) joined the FOF for a noble cause – artistic and cultural, leading to the ‘mastery of higher states’. It is obvious that Burton never had this intention for any of his followers. I am sure that most of us had, within, say, the first six months of membership, noticed vague rumblings of politics, financial shenanigans and sexual impropriety, by rumor or some invited, because of obvious physical delectability, to join the ‘inner ring’ (oops, I mean circle).

It is the canker sore of the psychopath, that goes from “the path to hell is strewn with good intentions”, actually a feint of culture with all these little germs enlarging until we see now, with the psychopath severely debilitated (and near death, we hope!), pussed way beyond any youthful attraction he may have had, surrounded by ‘baubles of the SS of the FOF’, who, we can be assured,will all descend on the rotten meat of the ‘school’ and tear it apart, while one remains conquering.

46, wallis. We must not underestimate the strength of “community” and of the countless friendships (even if most of them are pretty shallow), and also the inability of the vast majority of current members to take responsibility for the remainder of their life and their inner Work. These two factors, IMO, will enable something to continue past what we may think is possible.

Seems like Dorian Matei and Sacha Shalaponov, previously both anointed ‘future Man #5s by Robert Earl Burton, have taken over as front men for the Fellowship of Friends. Supported, presumably, by ‘older students’ such as Rowena Taylor, and the Board and Spiritual Council of the FoF.
Last Friday, Sacha ‘led’ a meeting of the faithful, and last Sunday Dorian did likewise.
The words of Sacha Shalaponov (he of the clown costumes) have not yet been relayed to your humble blogger; no doubt they also consisted mostly of similarly vague and soporific generalities. The point—kindly keep the bubble of the joint fantasy inflated with worship and money. But during a vapid monologue lasting 70 minutes, Dorian Matei took incoherence and the very essence of the insubstantial to new levels of vapidity (sample follows).
His performance was apparently highlighted with images of Burton, photos taken that same day. Maybe someone will post them, but my initial impression was that neither Dorian or Sacha grasped any of the essential principles from the correspondence course in Basic Taxidermy that they had obviously ordered and studied in haste over the preceding days. Their first publicly revealed experiment was a sad indictment of both the course ($39.95 including shipping and handling, from the College of Steer Preservation Technology, 44/45 Slaughterhouse Ave., Chicago, IL60618), their own abilities, and the facilities in the Galleria kitchen. So, Big Fail. My objective advice: practice a whole lot on smaller roadkill first.

Dorian started his monologue with the words below. Imagine them continuing in the same vein for the rest of the seventy minutes. No questions, comments or observations allowed, during or after.
Summary: Everything is fine. (Subtext: keep sending $$$$$. Don’t forget the $$$$$. If you forget your ‘teaching payments’, the only alternative is hell.)

These guys already have a history within the organization of exchanging favors for sex. My guess is that everything will be prim and proper for a little while, then some nubile young sheep will attract their attentions, and the process of grooming and seduction will continue as before, with nary a bleat of protest from the rest.

Where is Asaf Braverman when you need him? Although Asaf’s smoothly delivered words also dispense received wisdom by the bucketful, and he also mixes short pithy sayings of conveniently dead philosophers—lifted out of context— with his own to imply some non–existent connection or even sanction; which he also plentifully lards with unverifiable claims, he is a model of clarity and wisdom compared to this claptrap. Not that he is immune to the temptations of power either. How long before some pert young follower with plenty of upthrust over there in Italy attracts his attention and subtly conveys that if he seeks comfort, she is willing to exchange a favor or two for more private access to Asaf? After all, his wife is busy with their new child, and will take a while to recover her youthful grace… and in the meantime, how can a little sincere communion behind closed doors, based on their spiritual bond, possibly matter?

Enough from Ames, over to Dorian:
“Good morning. I guess it’s now 2 weeks since this great gift came to us as a school. We are still in the furnace. I was thinking before coming here these words from Bernard of Clairvaux. He says, “The fire that is God. It is indeed a fire that devours, but it does not debase.”
Beautiful image. “The fire that devours, but does not debase.” In fact, it refines and concentrates and purifies.

I was thinking that we will look at our school as the time before this incident happened with Robert, and a time after this incident, marking a great transition, in a way; and that we…it’s yet to be understood exactly what our school was given, but one feels a very, very powerful gift descended upon us. And related to the subject this morning, I feel that in order for this gift to be received and used, we must do our very best not to attach any positive or negative thought to it. It’s a little easier to avoid attaching negative attitudes toward it, such as resentment, fear, concern, because these are more obvious, and I think as a school we’ve done a great job staying away from those emotions. But it is equally important to not attach hope and happiness to it. Somehow when Hydrogen 12 and 6 come, the more pure they descend on us, the more they can change our lives. I had a birthday last week, and this desire came to make a wish, and it was before Robert came back from the hospital; and of course this tendency was to make a wish related to that. I then understood that my wish would stain this great gift, and then I had nothing to wish for.

(Shows 2 photos of Robert taken earlier that morning)

I mentioned at the beginning that we are still in the furnace, and what I mean by that is part of this gift that C Influence has given us is a very precious and rare substance which we call Hydrogen 6. A shock like this infuses Hydrogen 6 in a school.

This week, especially witnessing Sasha’s meeting Friday, which I thought was wonderful, and I understood that, in a way, the requirement of a host for our events is to be able to address the present moment, and yet it’s a very mystical present moment. It’s a present moment that our whole school experiences. It’s a present moment of the whole earth, you would say, and it’s a present moment that includes what Influence C releases to the school and to humanity in this moment. It’s a very mystical moment once more, and the requirement of a host is to bring awareness to this moment and all of its contents that is happening before our eyes. Only Higher Centers can do that. No intellectual process…we can’t imitate that. To address what is here now. And the “here” is here throughout the globe, in centers, in places where students are alone.

It’s a very mystical year (laughs), and this is the requirement of a host, somehow to bring awareness to that and thereby assimilate the gift that Influence C is releasing right this moment.

It is hard to move somewhere from this place because it’s so beautiful, what we share now.”

I thought it was fucked up when I left 32 years ago…this is unfuckingbelievable. They must have some truly and deeply stupid people making up the rank and file…besides the psychopaths at the top of the hierarchy Clearly, RB has passed his psychopathology down to the little runt mini-RB’s. Then again, they all deserve each other. Now it’s just a wankathon.

Despite the verbosity and word-wangling, I think the ‘aim’ for the ‘school’ across the globe is a WARM FUZZY FEELING made substantial by the ‘twiddly bit of jewelry that they can remember ROBERT ‘bought’ for them’ – ah, the moments of memorabilia!

That Warm Fuzzy Feeling is achieved most of all through the flattery that Robert dished out repeatedly for so many years, and which Dorian and Sasha have now learned to imitate.

“Students” are flattered that they are in the presence of a divine God/Goddess in human form; that they are, without fail, headed straight for Paradise; that their “Work” is proceeding wonderfully (“Keep doing what you are doing.”); that a host of angels hovers continually above them and Apollo; that they themselves, and each one of them, are “Conscious Beings.”

The words reported above from a recent meeting are spooky and weird, e.g. “I mentioned at the beginning that we are still in the furnace, and what I mean by that is part of this gift that C Influence has given us is a very precious and rare substance which we call Hydrogen 6. A shock like this infuses Hydrogen 6 in a school.”
It makes me worry for those who are still in the school. What if when Burton dies, he claims that as he is a monumentally advanced man number whatever, he has blasted a royal passage into paradise that his followers can take advantage of, but only if they are quick, and follow him by “dropping their bodies” within a day of his death. Heaven’s Gate style.

53. John Harmer. Also, how did it happen that Hydrogens (12, 6, whatever) shifted from being produced internally via the 2 “conscious shocks,” to something dispensed by “C Influence?”

It should be clear that there is no longer even a pretext of the Fellowship being a “School.” There is ZERO real work on Being. There in NO attempt to understand and experience Conscience. There is NO self-observation occurring or encouraged.

And finally, nothing Robert Burton, Dorian Matei, or anyone else says can be verified, nor should any such attempt be made. The Fellowship of Friends is fully a RELIGION, expecting only blind belief from its member sheep.

If REB really *were* a goddess (“a goddess trapped in a man’s body”), then he should be immortal. But he is *not* a goddess. He’s simply an old man in poor health who will expire, just like every other person. That line about being a goddess trapped in a man’s body was just a clever way to pull the wool over everyone’s eyes, especially his victims’. And many were the students who enabled his sexual predilections, especially those in a position of power.

Dorian’s monologue in #49 above is a good example of a lot of words that say nothing meaningful. He throws in enough so-called work words to allow students to nod their head when they hear about Hydrogen 6 or influence C or higher centers. And he’ll tell you how to interpret the news: it’s “a gift.” And don’t question Dorian: there’s no Question and Answer session. No thinking, no examining, no opportunity to challenge or even to ask a simple factual question. Black-out on news and truth. But then, it’s always been that way with REB and the FF. So many secrets.

Insider, # 52,
You said, “…and each one of them are ‘Conscious Beings’.”

Is that right? I had no idea that there had been such major ‘grade inflation’ since I left.
During my extended stay in the asylum, my impression was that: at the introductory meetings we were Man #1, 2 or 3, and that at the moment we made the commitment to seriously ‘working on our selves’, we became provisional Man #4s. But at the same time, it was implicitly as you say—write the checks and you are assured of ‘becoming conscious’ in this lifetime or the next. Burton claimed the extraordinary ability to foresee who would became conscious, and seemed very attached to the idea that his ‘school’ would produce 7 ‘conscious beings’. And in the case of Miles and Girard, he informed them that they had actually become Man #5s (I guess they missed out on the thunder and lightning stuff). To his credit, Miles declined the honor and said, in my hearing, that nothing had changed. Not so Girard, however; he told me that there were ‘certain indications’ that he was conscious. Burton was certainly, irrefutably wrong with his choices, wasn’t he? So, why would the present inhabitants of the asylum particularly believe that a couple of gits (who happen to have met Rowena T.’s meticulously researched and Burton’s personally verified standards of sexual endowment and elastic morality) are actually angels masquerading as men?
So now everyone who writes a check is ‘conscious’? Wow! According to the Fourth Way ideas, that state is ‘crystalized’ and relatively permanent. So anyone could join, achieve that state as soon as his/her check clears, then sever relations—and they’ve got what they came for, huh?
If this whole sorry saga isn’t a prime example of the commodification of spirituality, I don’t know what is.

P.S. When JC died, it is claimed that there were earthquakes and the curtain (wall separating the main temple from the ‘Holy of Holies’) in the Temple (of Solomon) was destroyed.
One version: “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.”

Since Burton has advanced from merely being “the brightest light in 2,000 years” to having the Absolute “perform an act of humility for him”, maybe we can expect something momentous akin to the oft–predicted Fall of California upon his death, huh? Something considerably more suitable to his great standing than a comemorative earthquake or two. However, California is particularly noted for its dearth of saints, so maybe deceased celebrities of Hollywood will have to be substituted instead.
Will Leonardo shed tears? I doubt it, and I certainly won’t.

“No one in this world, so far as I know – and I have searched the records for years, and employed agents to help me – has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of plain people. Nor has anyone ever lost public office thereby.”
– Henry Louis (H. L.) Mencken

Yes, it’s quite true. For many years, Robert’s events have been providing the weekly fix for his followers addicted to flattery. He constantly reminds them (lest they should forget) that “You are all Conscious Beings.” And people then smile, as if to prove Robert correct.

Actually it makes perfect sense: Would The Absolute visit Apollo (not once, but twice) if there was a chance he/she would encounter a non-conscious being while strolling the grounds?

Insider, #60,
Thanks for the confirmation.
I’m actually shocked. I thought it must have been a misunderstanding, so I had some fun extrapolating what that might mean, expecting to be corrected in due course.

Now I’ve slept on it, I can see that I’ve had a major attitude shift. It is much more obvious to me that the large majority of folks who remain are really, really happy to be there, so I’m wasting valuable time in appeals like above and other efforts. Bruce is right to write the whole bunch off, and say they have attracted and deserve their fates.

Following this train of thought, I guess I see a division line; pre–blog and post–blog. Post–blog plus, say, a couple of years. Pre–blog it was very hard to find out much about the Fellowship of Friends, especially if you were doing due diligence and were thinking of joining. Post–blog, there really is no excuse for anyone, inside or out, to not to know what is going on, at least in broad strokes. I don’t know if the young men in Burton’s never-ending parade of fresh meat have been warned or can be warned. I’ve been told that nowadays many of them do have an idea in advance and accept becoming part of Burton’s harem as the necessary price to escape their situation (usually economic) in eastern Europe, Russia, or South American countries. In other words, they are willing prostitutes and know the deal. And any present member of the Fellowship of Friends, male or female, is an accessory and a pimp.

From now on, I’m going to concentrate on emphasizing the connections between the Fellowship of Friends and any offshoots for anyone doing due diligence. At this time, the most important offshoot, in my estimation, is Asaf Braverman’s creation, Beperiod. I assume that Asaf spent the last ten years accepting Burton’s assertions that he, Asaf, was already ‘conscious’, without much protest, right? If he accepted that assertion as fact, then he is irrevocably flawed and ditto any of his ‘teachings’.

Anyway, Insider, thanks for helping chip away at my unwarranted naiveté and idealism. And Bruce is probably slapping his forehead and saying, “Duh!” for the nth time!

I can’t emphasize enough how the Fellowship of Friends finally and really is a non-profit religious organization which it, ironically, has been falsely claiming for 45 years. Maybe a Religious Cult would be a better description. And it is, very much, a Judeo-Christian-based religion: Heaven (Paradise) and Hell (the moon); “God” as a stern, but loving, fatherly figure; must believe only in this religion in order to go to Heaven; Robert Burton is the Pope-on-Earth, and only he has a direct communication with God and his angels; and of course “all good children go to heaven.”

You can’t even call the Fellowship a “2nd Way” school. It lost the privilege of being called a “School” a long time ago. (If the Fellowship ever did deserve to be call a School, it was in spite of Robert Burton, and due to genuine efforts made by thousands of members over many years.)

No longer is there even the pretense of “3 Lines of Work.” 1st Line: gone when self-observation disappeared. 2nd Line: gone when photographing stopped. 3rd Line: gone when taking responsibility for the “school” descended into only serving Robert Burton.

Insider, #61,
Fresh shocks! Obviously, I really am out of the loop. It has been years since I contacted anyone in the Fellowship of Friends, apart from a few ‘drop–ins’ and e–mails from those who accepted my invitation to talk things over, and this subject never came up in the brief encounters. So much for the “vast conspiracy of ex–students working to bring down the FoF”, a favorite theme of apologists and FoF spokespersons in the past!
You said,

No longer is there even the pretense of “3 Lines of Work.” 1st Line: gone when self-observation disappeared. 2nd Line: gone when photographing stopped. 3rd Line: gone when taking responsibility for the “school” descended into only serving Robert Burton.

When did this happen? I think readers would appreciate knowing the history, how any last vestiges of the Fourth Way were dropped, and the reactions of the followers at the various stages.

Anyone who lands here looking for information about the Fellowship of Friends, this is critically important—if you are imagining that the FoF has anything at all to do with the Fourth Way. Robert Earl Burton and his organization always used the Fourth Way as a lure, and naïve and earnest people like myself who joined in the earlier decades could be forgiven for falling for that, despite the warning signs. But now all that remains are a few words and phrases borrowed from that tradition, and as I said, used to lure the unwary. And, as Insider says, this is not a 2nd Way school either. This is a relatively new religion with the sole object of worship being Robert Burton.DON’T WALK, RUN from the Fellowship of Friends and Robert Earl Burton!
And the same applies to the organization Beperiod and the whole Ark in Time network, run by Asaf Braverman. Maybe he missed using the Fourth Way terminology, maybe he got hooked on the information in the ‘Work books’ like I and countless thousands of others and wants to return to those roots, or maybe he thinks it is the most efficient lure to bring in new followers, it really doesn’t matter. He is hopelessly compromised. Everything he knows, he learnt from Burton. A great deal of it he fabricated in conjunction with Burton. Every ounce of authority he projects is based on Burton lending him that authority within the Fellowship of Friends, and on him believing the delusion that somehow he earned that authority through his own efforts and verifications. It is just a veneer. He has learned from a master how to run a group of sheep. His methods may vary, the outward presentation may be different, but the impulse, the bed–rock NEED to collect followers is exactly the same. How could it be different? He cannot just suddenly turn round after twenty (!) years, and somehow shrug off the corruptive influences he was immersed in, and which he supported wholeheartedly, and which he used to his immense advantage. Remember, he was not just some average follower who came to his senses, he was the most important leader for years, seduced and groomed and anointed by Burton. And he didn’t ‘come to his senses’ and leave, he was ejected as part of a power play by rivals. He only separated from the Fellowship a few months ago. He did not go into retreat to digest his experiences or change in any way. I’m not saying that there wasn’t turmoil, but the fact that the ‘online school’ he founded five years ago, with the knowledge and support of those in power within the Fellowship of Friends, has not missed a beat, has not changed one iota, has continued without pause, speaks volumes IMHO. So, same advice:DON’T WALK, RUN from Beperiod.com and Asaf Braverman!

O.K., Ames has done his best to warn ‘seekers’ about Burton, the Fellowship of Friends, his disciple Asaf Braverman and his Ark in Time / Beperiod offerings. That is mostly ‘pushing away’.
Does Ames have any positive advice to offer? Something to embrace?

Yes. Here goes:

1) Take your time. There is no hurry. Ask deeply within yourself what you are searching for, and why.

2) Sign up for courses in Logic and Critical Thinking at your local college. Push your teacher beyond what is presented in class, try to get your classmates to push as well. Become familiar with the ‘givens’ of your local and national cultures, the origins and assumptions, “common” knowledge and “common” sense. Become familiar with all aspects of propaganda and how it is used. The knowledge you gain will be of inestimable value for the rest of your life, in every area of your life, not just in sussing out esoteric teachings.
If you can’t do this at college, at least study some books or online courses, preferably with others to keep each other honest and actually do the work.

3) Sign up for a course in Comparative Religion at your local college. You will gain valuable insights into the history and setups of all religions, and you will recognize the classic appeals when you come across a new one. If you have a really good teacher, pump them for more individual insights.

4) If you decide to give any organization a tryout, write down the terms of that ‘tryout’, in detail, in advance. Write down your goals. Decide, in advance, on time limits. Decide how you will measure ‘success’. Share all this with a good, trustworthy friend who is NOT going to join, and make a deal that you will, come what may, meet and go over these goals together at intervals agreed in advance.

5) Ask the questions of the organization and ‘teacher’ previously listed and referred to on this very page, above. Ask every one of those questions and any more that occur to you as you go along. Write down all the answers; if not at the time, before the end of the day. If you don’t understand the answers or their implications, ask them again. Share these answers with the same friend you chose in #4.

If you follow this advice, it will only be through the worst of luck that you end up in an organization like the Fellowship of Friends or one of its offshoots like Beperiod.

Ames. thanks for continuing to shine light on some very dark areas, it’s a public service. Way back when I joined the FOF there was no internet – the abundance of cult information online these days should serve as a deterrent IF due diligence is undertaken by the prospective “student” of things “esoteric.” There are simple, straightforward and useful checklists available for any and all “seekers.”

e.g.

Who is vulnerable to cult recruitment?

We all are at some time in our lives. Most of us satisfy the foregoing needs within our normal range of relationships and this gives us a certain amount of protection, as long as we stay within that framework.

Cult recruits are not any more likely to be mentally ill, less intelligent, or less well educated than the average population.

Nor are they necessarily more gullible on average. They do tend, however, to be “seekers,” constantly looking for pat answers and magical solutions for personal or societal problems. They are often driven to find answers (any answer) to the great metaphysical questions, rather than live with uncertainty. Those who have a higher tolerance for ambiguity can live with the acceptance that such things are ultimately unknowable.

How can we recognize a cult? A fair use of the cult label for a questionable organization would require the presence of most of the items on the following checklist.

Does the group:

(a) engage in deceptive recruitment practices? (recruiters typically disguise the true nature and aims of the group when seeking converts)

(b) tend to target vulnerable individuals, as outlined above?

(c) offer unconditional affirmation and support initially, but soon make its continuance contingent on obedience?

(d) have a closed social system that makes a special effort to isolate acolytes from family, friends, etc.?

(e) use constant bombardment with pro-group and pro-leader messages and exclusion of other messages?

(f) have a rigid, authoritarian hierarchy?

(g) have a leader and ruling clique that are perceived to possess infallible insight, supernatural powers, etc.? Do they claim to have been chosen by some higher authority to rule, and thus to be excused from the normal social restrictions on one’s behavior?

(h) have an eclectic, often muddled and internally contradictory, set of teachings – usually a magic-laden philosophy that claims to have infallible answers to those “big ticket” questions of existence?

(i) have a strict behavior code that governs all aspects of how one should think, feel, and act? Are there strong penalties for deviation?

(j) instill fear of outsiders (the “bunker mentality”)? Does the group try to convince members they are powerless to act without the group’s support and that the world “out there” is uncaring and hostile?

(k) engage in major forms of exploitation (e.g., financial, occupational, or sexual – of self, spouse, or children)?

(l) demand immoral, unethical, or illegal activity on the part of its members?

Who starts a cult?
Some cult leaders are unequivocally psychopaths and con-artists, but others spring from more complex roots. The late British psychiatrist Anthony Storr published a book (Feet of Clay) that discusses common attributes in those who become cult leaders. There often appears in their backgrounds some kind of serious psychological crisis that they have surmounted by interpreting it as a special calling to some higher purpose. Even those gurus who start out believing they are on an inspired mission to improve the lives of others usually succumb to the seductions of unbridled adoration and privilege, resulting ultimately in disaster. It is as Lord Acton so wisely admonished:

“Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”

and:

Concerted efforts at influence and control lie at the core of cultic groups, programs, and relationships. Many members, former members, and supporters of cults are not fully aware of the extent to which members may have been manipulated, exploited, even abused.

The following list of social-structural, social-psychological, and interpersonal behavioral patterns commonly found in cultic environments may be helpful in assessing a particular group or relationship.

Compare these patterns to the situation you were in (or in which you, a family member, or friend is currently involved). This list may help you determine if there is cause for concern. Bear in mind that this list is not meant to be a cult scale or a definitive checklist to determine if a specific group is a cult. This is not so much a diagnostic instrument as it is an analytical tool.

The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.

Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.

Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, and debilitating work routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s).

The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (for example, members must get permission to date, change jobs, marry or leaders prescribe what types of clothes to wear, where to live, whether or not to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth).

The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s) and members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar, the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).

The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.

The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations).

The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members’ participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group (for example, lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).

The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt iin order to influence and/or control members. Often, this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion.

Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before joining the group.

The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.

The group is preoccupied with making money.

Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities.

Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.

The most loyal members (the true believers) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave (or even consider leaving) the group.

Take Back Your Life: Recovering from Cults and Abusive Relationships by Janja Lalich and Madeleine Tobias (Berkeley: Bay Tree Publishing, 2006)… checklist originally developed by Michael Langone.

Some ex-members feel superior just because they left the FOF.
Some feel very safe because they kept their wives, another type of cult. And some here actually care for Burton’s health!

One thing is certain: he has plenty of funds to cover medical expenses and whatever it will take to fix or acquire, and we all know how fucking strong he is. Yes, he can die in any moment like Dorian, Rowena and Steven wish. But for RB everything is worth the try.
And really, we never know how things are going to turn out to our surprise; is wise not to give things for granted.

“Influence C is in permanent state of external consideration”
“If things could be another way, they would be another way”
“Everyone suffers, with or without the system”
“Leaving the FOF does not make you less of an asshole”
“What one gains all gain”
Monkeys… #1, #2, #3, #4 and so on. Remember?

Guys, it is time for new heart!
And to celebrate let us all enjoy the great Russian Ballet this JFBD!

What we have here is actually a celebrity!
The man that owns that property is:http://herb.co/2016/12/09/eddy-lepp-free-prison/
and his beloved wife…
“Same “church” where two Sheriff shot and one man killed yesterday. The video is from a year ago but I think that it speaks to character. I have been asked to share this by other members of this group”

Thanks for the reminder about the Russian ballet. Is it another traveling section of the Bolshoi ballet which is visiting again?

It’s probably too late, and the chances of a Russian ballerina booked to perform at Apollo for the Fellowship of Friends reading and understanding this are infinitesimally small.
But, just in case, dear performer, consider this:
• You are not there just to perform, you are also prey.
• There will be a bunch of good–looking (your mileage may vary) young men hanging around you. Some of them will speak Russian!
• They will be well–groomed, charming and with a veneer of civilization.
• They will be exuding tons of sex energy, and you will feel this and maybe be flattered.

Beware. The sex energy is because they have regular sex with Robert Earl Burton (and with each other, performing to titillate him), and are desperate to prove their masculinity to themselves and their peers by seducing you. Be aware that Burton has told them that they cannot get sexual diseases from him or each other, because he is an angel. Also be aware that the entire group, the Fellowship of Friends, practices “intentional insincerity”, which means that it is fine to lie to those outside the organization. Finally, be aware that all the nice people dressed in their finery believe that you and the rest of humanity, are “dead meat walking” and that they are vastly superior to you. Basically, these cute, dashing young men will say anything and do anything to get you to service them.

• Ask other ballerinas who have performed at Apollo. One of them even became pregnant!
• Don’t drink too much. It’s hard to restrain oneself after an exhausting performance, and these folks do clap so! You are high, but exert discipline, even if the drinks are free.
• Enjoy the food and attention, but don’t take it seriously. If you do, it will end in tears.
• Assume that the chances of catching a disease are rather higher than normal if you engage in sex of any kind, even kissing. Oregon House CA 95962 has a rather higher concentration of various venereal diseases than average, according to publicly available clinical data.
• Decline any exchange of phone numbers or other personal contact information.

So, apparently Burton is recovering nicely. It is notable that as soon as he was able (just a few days), he resumed the reins and the rest of his former schedule, though so far he doesn’t seem to be doing ‘meetings’. And I’d lay odds that the Viagra continues to be prescribed in the usual wholesale quantities by complicit local MDs so he can continue to get his accustomed protein boosts…

Here’s my take: if a person truly has power, then he or she can also give it up, in other words must have the power to give up power. If they can’t give it up—power has them. Claiming one is able to give it up is just that, a claim. Actually giving it up unconditionally, even temporarily (long enough for the replacement in the hierarchy to fully exercise the same power in turn) is another thing entirely. Burton demonstrates daily that power has him. He regards himself as indispensable, so essential to guide the flock that he cannot even take time to recuperate from a serious illness. The sheep, of course, take this as a sign of his greatness and self sacrifice. What a relief! They can continue to rely on him to organize every detail of their lives. They can relax, knowing that the intolerable burden of taking responsibility for their lives has been lifted from their shoulders—business as usual.

Another example of lack of will in any sense of the word: the question of whether or not Burton is addicted to sex. He claims that he is consciously demonstrating ‘supersex’. That may have been arguable in a theoretical sense early on in the scheme, assuming that the general laity were informed, which they weren’t. Of course, those he coerced into satisfying his sexual pathologies under conditions of secrecy would view the whole thing another way entirely. But now his actual history, over 45 years, shows that he has absolutely no control over his sexual impulses and appetites, and has never been able to control them, let alone give them up. So, the sexual needs have him and control him, and his actual history has proved this conclusively. If there is anything to the 4th Way ‘crystallization’ theory, then he has crystallized as a complete slave to his desires; his entire life is devoted to satisfying those desires.

I wonder, how is the planning for the mausoleum going? It would have to be really big, to suit Burton’s ego. And you know that Burton is not going to pass on without a design completed to the last detail—no way! No doubt acres of pink and purple marble, tons of gilding, plump cherubs with wings all over the place. Probably the usual tasteless and gaudy mix of various building and decorative styles that have caught his fancy over the years. Faux French Bordello. And, like the never–ending fundraising for the Bistro or the Theatron, lots of opportunities to siphon off 95% of the funds to pay for the boys and the never–ending vacation.

Here’s an idea: convert the abandoned winery into the memorial for the God–Emperor of Oregon House. Have an entrance into the basement where the mortal remains can be deposited. But this presents a dilemma. Should they mummify the remains and seal up the tunnel in the manner of the Pharaohs, or embalm the remains and display them in a glass coffin in the manner of Lenin? The latter would allow the faithful to visit (for a hefty fee) and commune with Burton forever. Or one step further, have him seated on a ormolu throne with fully programmed Hollywood animatronics, varying with the season and the $$$$$ needs of the priesthood.
The next level up could contain a museum celebrating his sexual achievements.
At the top, a cinema playing DVDs of his meetings round the clock would fit in just right. How about an outdoors laser light show to commemorate the anniversaries of his birthday, founding of the Fellowship of Friends, various stages of consciousness, and meeting with the Absolute?
The base of the building could be clad in yet more marble, with Burton’s informal motto in letters carved twenty feet high, “Nothing exceeds like excess.” Flood lit from dusk to dawn.

Best of all, I’m sure the creative FoF lawyers could make all this tax–deductible in various cunning ways, so the rest of we tax–payers get to contribute a big chunk to the costs!

Back in the eighties, when I was a member, Burton would regularly quote the last two lines of this sonnet, to underline his sacrifice in remaining here on earth for his beloved students. Some of the other lines seem strangely apposite to his subsequent career.

Tired with all these, for restful death I cry,
As to behold desert a beggar born,
And needy nothing trimm’d in jollity,
And purest faith unhappily forsworn,
And gilded honour shamefully misplac’d,
And maiden virtue rudely strumpeted,
And right perfection wrongfully disgrac’d,
And strength by limping sway disabled
And art made tongue-tied by authority,
And folly—doctor-like—controlling skill,
And simple truth miscall’d simplicity,
And captive good attending captain ill:
Tir’d with all these, from these would I be gone,
Save that, to die, I leave my love alone.

“From all types of bondage – physical, mental, spiritual, social, political and moral – emancipation of man is possible sooner or later. But the redemption of mankind from its self-imposed shackles of intellectual self sufficiency and idealistic or religious inheritance is very different indeed, and the task, if ever attempted, is almost superhuman.

The institution of slavery in the Middle Ages was already bad enough, but the irresponsible slavery of this industrial age of ours is worse. Emancipation of mankind from such types of physical and economic slavery is comparatively an easy affair. But the most cruel and destructive form of slavery is an intellectual bigotry of possessing the monopoly on Truth, exclusive of others.” – A.M.B.

It is the feeling, first when one develops that elusive ‘magnetic center’ – a feeling apart from the rest of humanity, then joins a cult to feel special, then power, vanity and greed that keeps one ‘in’ and striving towards those upper echelons of brainwashing inferiors. I see no other reason – no other purpose.

I was told by a young friend that the FOF is now attracting young people in a considerable flow… A new supply of Hansel and Gretel to devour. As Ames predicted, there were some disturbances in the back stage at the ballet performance. All taken care off.

“It is impossible to outsmart a narcissist. This is The Uncanny Reality: Narcissists have the most expert ability to find every insecurity, every weak link and target it with full intensity. Ironic or meant to be? A soul contract?” Melanie Tonia Evans

By being the Narcissistic supply, people avoid looking at themselves, to heal deep wounds, not only of the present time and lifetime, but all what is in our DNA, starting with fear.

John Harmer, I wasn’t aware of that particular facet of the continuous self–pity fest. Classic Burton though, to lift a couple of phrases out of context and repurpose them to enhance his self–image. As you point out, the rest of the sonnet turns out to be a catalog of his crimes, which makes it ironic that this list was compiled by his supposed angelic buddy, William Shakespeare.

Crossroads, thank you for the update. I regret that young people in any numbers are still finding the Fellowship of Friends alluring. And although I don’t understand why they are not doing due diligence (it is so easy to find out more nowadays if one is at all curious), I do remember the sense of urgency I had when I joined. I wanted to plunge in and be immersed in a milieu with others who shared the same interests, I wanted to make big efforts, I had all that energy and commitment, and the ambition to progress as quickly as I could. And it’s not like it is all bad. I would say that a couple of years would be the limit, though, PROVIDED that one avoided the attention of Burton and that one took some of the precautions like I suggested in #63 above. But that would suppose quite a high level of maturity and self discipline to begin with, wouldn’t it? I’m probably kidding myself if I thought I would have listened at that age. Like I said, I was in a big hurry and influenced by magical thinking (mine own and others’), ready to demonstrate my faith.

I absolutely agree with you about the narcissistic supply. It is a two–way deal, and both sides are seeking to satisfy their various needs. And people like me are suggesting that folks caught up in the dance give up their happiness and comfort for an uncertain and risky future, full of nasty truths and unknowns. That is not an attractive message!

Something I don’t understand. Surely these young recruits you mention don’t have much money to spare? Do the ‘donations’ still start out fairly small, then ramp up over a couple of years like they used to? Assuming Burton keeps most of the $$ he personally raises for his own expenses, how does the FoF as an organization get by? Surely the actual ‘older students’, those who have reached retirement age, are not paying at the same rate as before?

I am surprised at people being satisfied with the ‘cultural and emotionally uplifting’ – stopping there – and not having a ‘thirst for the miraculous’. Are the reasons for joining these days different from back in your day? Actually, what are the many reasons? Perhaps we could discuss this as somehow important.

I had occasion yesterday to look at the copy of Conversations with Goethe by Johann Peter Eckermann, published by FOF in the mid-1980s. What struck me as peculiar was how Burton made a decision to re-title it Conversations with Eckermann, and to attribute authorship of the book to Goethe. The fact that Eckermann authored the book, with all the effort and thought that goes into authorship, was obliterated by Burton’s choice. This vignette demonstrates the standard modus operandi of the traumatizing narcissist, one that obliterates the subjectivity of the other, or attempts to do so, and replaces it with his own.

Wallis, assuming Insider is accurate (#62, above in answer to #61), things could hardly be more different. I would say that when I joined (1978) most followers had a serious interest in practical application of the Fourth Way, and that was central to their efforts, however misguided. The search for something miraculous (in my case, becoming able to first recognize and then act outside the cultural trance) was certainly the bait for me. Although meetings were already being run on authoritarian lines, there was plenty of give and take and exchange of opinions in addition to the developing groupthink, and outside meetings, an attitude of anything goes. And I certainly didn’t get the impression that I was supposed to be already ‘conscious’ merely by virtue of being current with my payments, rather the contrary. Now it seems the formula is the dispensation and unquestioning passive acceptance of received wisdom. Just my opinion, of course.

The fact is, I don’t know anything about the reasons why people join nowadays. I mean, I can visit the ever–changing FoF website, the various websites of certain followers like Benjamin Yudin, Gilbert Moore and William Page, and of course ex–followers like Asaf Braverman, and get a general idea of why a seeker might press the ‘contact us’ button or pick up the phone. But the steps from then on are a blank. Have the introductory meetings changed? I don’t know. How do the ‘older students’ welcome new recruits and make them comfortable? I don’t know. How does fresh meat get to Burton’s attention? I don’t know. And I don’t know if members still ‘bookmark’ or put adverts in local newspapers, as they did in my day.
I’m an old fogey, and don’t do Facebook, or tweet, or whatever, so I have no idea how compelling recruitment messages might be on those media. I’ve looked at the FoF and Braverman Facebook pages a few times, and if they are attractive to seekers, it’s over my head as to why. I guess if the tone is one of certainty and providing answers to big questions, however ‘far out’, that is enough for some?

Robert liked the biggest and best. According to Karl Werner, the Baccarat “Big Ben” crystal wine glasses used in the “Meissen Room” could hold 750ml of wine (the standard bottle size.) Though Baccarat discontinued the glass in 1992, you can find replacements listed online for $360 each.

If the Fellowship recovers the $600k in “overpaid” property taxes from Yuba County, they’ll be able to purchase many such essential religious accoutrements.

6’2”, 205lbs, br/gr, wealthy, clean-cut, controlling WM sex guru, 70+ years young, with a bubbly butt and an unquenchable thirst for your cum and money, will host cute straight males of any nationality, (ages 17-25 preferred), cut or uncut, married or single, submissive and shy, without dental issues, who would like to follow my enhanced fourth way spiritual techniques without question, getting up real close and familiar with my sexy grandaddy funkhole, our edgy little secret behind closed doors. You will entertain visions of a paradise others will never know, as I suck you and your wife’s bank account dry.

I’m a WM, viagra friendly, into sniffing around, fingering, lite spanking, golden showers, formal dinners, boy toy play, and getting my hairy ass pounded as I kneel and kiss the feet of the Absolute. I’m healthy enough, rich enough, hiv-neg, herpes conscious, and eager to lead you on this intimate spiritual journey into the dark side of my fem sexyass.

We’ll just take our sweet time and see how far I can push your limits, boundaries, and ethics, as we get down and dirty. Night and day. Day and night. It will be your duty. You will respect and acknowledge my ultimate authority and power over you as your new sex god and personal savior.

No drama, ballet is preferred. Not open to anyone else’s thoughts, ideas, feelings, needs, limits, or fetishes, nope, don’t care, unless you have young sons.

If this kind of never-ending connection with a grandfatherly/sexy/gay-sugar daddy type is what you are looking for in a guru, if you don’t have a life anyway (or a wife), then sign up for three introductory meetings with some of my followers, and put your money where my mouth is.

Serious, docile, and compliant only please. Laughter and burping are not tolerated.

Whalerider, that is just revolting, truly gross!
But, that is really the way it is. It would seem that a young heterosexual man would have to be seriously mentally ill to think that his path to spiritual salvation meant answering this advert and submitting to those requirements. Yet, when that same message is carefully presented in smaller chunks, dressed up in spiritual language, a little bit at a time, by earnest, well–spoken, seemingly sincere people, some of whom have even become ‘friends’, who claim it is the only way and an honor and a special privilege to serve the God-Emperor of Oregon House in such a manner—it works!
When 1600 or so fellow followers, male and female, including wives and girlfriends, have normalized this, the pressure to also accept this as normal, to fit in, to conform, must be incredible.

Of course, any girlfriends or wives who join the Fellowship of Friends with their partners undergo their own hell as their new ‘friends’, including other wives and girlfriends of Burton’s ‘boys’, current and past, pressure them to accept sharing their young men with Burton as beneficial, and that Burton’s open jealousy and utter contempt for them is a good opportunity to practice ‘separation’ and avoidance of expressions of negativity. Anna has written about her direct experiences of this elsewhere on this blog.

Some of those young men were and are incredibly naïve and trusting, and go for the spiritual gobbledegook. Some of them have a very good idea of what the quid pro quo is, and are after the glory, the cars, the nice clothes, the attentions of females, the green card.

_____________________________________

Wallis, looking back on my answer to you, above, I certainly didn’t mean to glorify the reasons for why I joined. False premises are false premises, then and now. Magical thinking is magical thinking, then and now. Vanity is vanity, then and now. Confirmation bias is confirmation bias, then and now. And there was no golden past. The Fellowship of Friends was corrupted to the core, then and now.

Thanks for your thoughts and questions. Maybe like many others, I am constantly trying to unravel the different threads that make up the Fellowship, both currently and historically. Three of those threads (there are probably more) are/were: (1) a “school” attempting to study and practice the “system” taught by Gurdjieff; (2) a Western-based religion complete with gods and angels, Heaven and Hell, and a high priest through whom the gods make their wishes known; and (3) a community where all members are instantly made to feel welcomed and loved.

As mentioned earlier, Robert Burton’s “teaching” is completely devoid of anything related to Gurdjieff and his system. If an outsider were to watch a video of one of RB’s meetings, they would have no idea of the “4th Way” background of the FoF. But, not surprisingly, several ideas from Gurdjieff’s system are still being presented at meetings for prospective students, and at “open meetings” for pre-prospective students. Of course, it’s a bait and switch, as Thread #1 is immediately replaced by #2 as soon as a person joins up, and any hope for “inner work” becomes transformed into worshipping and serving RB.

But the real hook to getting new followers is the promise, and in fact the reality, of Belonging. Belonging to something. Belonging to the most special group of people on the planet, so special that His Endlessness, The Absolute him/her-self visits Apollo and RB regularly (3 times at least and counting). Belonging to a warm, fuzzy, safe environment where everyone smiles, and hugs and kisses everyone else. And that begins with the very first contact an outsider makes with the FoF.

Going from being mostly alone in the world, to having 1500 “friends” in 60 or so different cities, is a powerful hook. However, to fix the relationship requires at least some measure of “spirituality,” given the type of person that searched and found the FoF in the first place. RB’s “teaching” is devoid of “spiritual’ content, unless a follower is content with listening to someone talk nonstop about the latest license plates and other omens (yes, that’s still going on as much as ever), dire predictions about the future (yes, that is also continuing, 2018 being the next one), and finding “sixes and fours” (RB’s famous “sequence”) in yet another painting or piece of music.

Thus, enter Dorian with his own “teaching” drawn from other “non-duality” proponents, speaking as if the “4th State” and “World 6” were his closest cousins. And maybe they are, given the many stories of drug use within the Rowena/Dorian circle. (E.g. Rowena proudly and freely shared her “3 days in the 4th State” experience.)

Just as RB (with prodding from Rowena/Dorian) finally had enough of Asaf’s direction, one wonders when RB will feel threatened by Dorian who might have discovered a better mixture of #2 and #3 above, and who recently had a very big taste of Power when he and everyone else thought that RB’s time was over.

“When two wholly unrelated things seem to be related by “meaningful coincidence” that is only meaningful when one loosens the boundaries by which two things can be related. For example: license plate numbers geometrically add up to meaningful words.
It’s a mind-fuck. Period. Some people do enjoy fucking with their own minds – and I agree, it is pleasurable – what concerns me, though, is that some people do not realize that that is all they are doing. Or Worse! Fuck with other people’s minds who are simply not looking to have their mind’s fucked-with (pardon my french). It’s a form of existential rape.”
~
“The term German, Apophänie, was coined by psychiatrist Klaus Conrad in his 1958 publication on the beginning stages of schizophrenia. He defined it as “unmotivated seeing of connections [accompanied by] a specific feeling of abnormal meaningfulness”. He described the early stages of delusional thought as self-referential, over-interpretations of actual sensory perceptions, as opposed to hallucinations. Apophenia has come to imply a universal human tendency to seek patterns in random information, such as gambling.”
(from wiki).

Apophenia clearly describes one of Burton’s proudest attributes. It is probable that most who joined were not previously suffering from this symptom of serious mental illness, but it appears we can acquire it somehow, evoke it by wanting it. In the end it is a badge of being inner circle. The day I told my centre directors I was leaving the school I got a phone call from one who wanted to talk about it. Her principle question was “But haven’t you verified C influence?”, and by this she meant those spooky coincidences that fof students get so exited about. When I said I had never seen the slightest evidence of C influence as a disembodied force in control of the play, she was genuinely shocked. The true believers have verified that they are being helped by forty something conscious beings, by “acquired Apophenia syndrome”. (I just named it)

There was going to be a production of scenes from Shapespeare at the newly-reopened Theatron this past weekend. The actors, director, et al had been hard at work on this production for months. The day before the first performance, an individual named “Noble” was injured at the Theatron, something about stepping into a hole. RB took this to mean that performing Shakespeare was too ignoble for the Theatron, which can now only be used for symphony concerts and ballet. The Shakespeare production was immediately cancelled. No word yet on the long-term effect on one of the main organizers (and RB faithful), M*r*a M*ch*do.

Thanks, Insider.
For a short while I thought maybe the increased oxygen supply to Burton’s brain might bring about about some improvements in his mentation.
Apparently not. The God–Emperor of Oregon House proves once again he is merely a reactive bundle of superstitions wrapped round a central core of greed.

_____________________________

News from elsewhere:
8/28/2017
ROHTAK, India — A judge on Monday sentenced a popular and flamboyant Indian spiritual guru to a total of 20 years in prison on charges of raping two female followers.

…(snip)…

The conviction sparked violent protests by the guru’s followers that left at least 38 people dead and hundreds injured.
…
The guru has denied raping the two followers, in a case that stems from charges filed in 2002.

Few details were immediately available following the sentencing, but the guru’s lawyers can appeal the verdict to a higher court. The rape charges were investigated by India’s Central Bureau of Investigation, and a special CBI court convicted and sentenced the guru.
The minimum sentence for the charges was seven years and the maximum was life in prison.
The bling-loving guru, who claims about 50 million followers, is fond of red leather jackets, bejeweled hats, bicep-baring T-shirts—and cinema.
He has started a film franchise in which he stars as the “Messenger of God,” or MSG, with divine powers to save the world. In his most recent film, he plays a secret agent armed with a twirled moustache and an assortment of swords to fight aliens and UFOs.
…
A curfew was also in place in Sirsa town, where the sprawling main headquarters of the guru’s Dera Sacha Sauda sect are located. Since Saturday, police have been asking followers to leave the ashram compound, and around 20,000 people left.
…
When the guru was found guilty on Friday, tens of thousands of his enraged followers set fire to government buildings, vandalized bus stations and government vehicles, and attacked police and TV journalists in Panchkula, where the verdict was announced.
…
Religious sects like Dera Sacha Sauda have huge followings in India. These sects and their leaders inspire intense devotion among their believers and also wield considerable political clout. Many maintain private militias for their protection.
…
The rape conviction isn’t the guru’s only brush with the law. He is awaiting trial on a murder charge over the death of a journalist, and is also under investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation over allegations of forcing several male followers to undergo castrations to bring them closer to God. He has denied the accusations.

_______________________________________

Are there any examples out there of spiritual leaders who have not succumbed to sexual temptation when surrounded by adoring/fearful followers who believe their leader to be some kind of direct representative of God?
H’mm. If the going rate is ten years per rape, that would earn Burton a minimum of ten thousand years in Parchman, if there were any justice.

“Sex. Sex. Sex. The call of the cicadas – and all manner of thou-shalts, thou shalt-nots, and who-says-such-and-such-is-necessarily-so? That’s the rub. Insistent. Consistent. Chirp. Chirp. Chirp. But! This is what we are – it is how we came to be – unctuous, slippery, convincing, “oh god. OH GOD! Yes, yes, yes!!!”… came and went. Enlightenment. Genetic imperatives, suchwise, and – and bliss! There is also that ineffable bliss and, and, and___ is that all?

Well, of course! I mean who doesn’t want sex! It’s obvious. Everyone is shooting for that. And the only people you can really talk to are people who already get enough – and – LOL – I wouldn’t even trust those people either!

Everyone with eyes knows that Magdalene was the FIRST apostle, and why it is she will always be considered the whore. Because of what it is that we are and are after, but cannot admit. Sex and compulsion.

Those are the two the “barriers” that, anyone who tells you they know the secret to usurping, is lying. Strip everything of its esoteric banter as they would just as willingly strip you naked and you will see – it is all for want of “knowledge” that any at all profess to have “wisdom”.

Like with Freud and his five stages: what happens after the genital stage? “I don’t know. Humans haven’t progressed beyond it”

It’s true! No one has.

They want sex, and they know you want to be wanted, and also___ probably sex.

Like, you can read a million pages – it all comes back to sex. The sinful. The “Satanic”. And anyone who tells you different is a liar!

They want to fuck you, and you – sometimes – would like to be fucked – if only to make you feel closer. To make you feel wanted.

Crossroads,
so ‘why’ does the average ‘Christian’ think Mary Magdalene was a whore?
The only reference to Mary Magdalene prior to the crucifixion in the four gospels in Luke 8:2:
“and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out,”
She was also named as the last person who stayed with Christ while he died. So she was the first and the last, the most loyal.

That’s it.

The whole thing is just the prevailing patriarchy picking on some woman (Eve is the prototype and archetype) to hold up as an example of women being these sinful lower–class creatures who should submit to the superior males. Especially one of the biggest assholes of all time, so called ‘saint’, Paul.

As far as I am concerned, supposing JC was an actual historical figure, Mary was his first follower, his most loyal follower—and his wife.

You must have gathered by now that it is NOT the ‘sex’, at least as far as I am concerned.It is the hugely unequal power dynamic.
Here is this ‘enlightened’ ‘conscious being’ saying it is the will of 45 angels that he has sex ‘right now’ with naïve, gullible followers who have been pressured and groomed by their ‘friends’ to accept his demands. Taken as a whole, I and many others can only conclude that this is a species of rape. And not just on Burton’s part, every single member of the organization that knows or suspects, including those raped in the past who help forge another link in the chain of pain, is also an essential and co–equal part of the rape.

Of course the dynamic is not the same for those who voluntarily and knowingly accept the deal in advance. But even those are co–equal in the rape of those who unwillingly submit. That is, those who would have said, “No way!” if the full facts were laid out in their introductory meetings.

Charles Schulz in his “Peanuts” cartoon depicted it the best: Every year Lucy sets up the football for Charlie Brown to kick. Charlie remembers last year, and the year before, and the year before, and refuses to run to kick the ball. Lucy assures him that this year will be different and she won’t pull the ball away just as Charlie goes to kick it, leaving Charlie flat on his back. Charlie doesn’t believe her. Lucy persists. Charlie gives in and trusts her, albeit reluctantly. Once again, Charlie runs to kick the ball held by Lucy. And the rest is history.

And once again, Fellowship/RB followers are being asked to get their “evacuation kit” ready. A meeting was held on just this subject a few weeks ago. No one seems to know or care what the disaster will be this time. Who cares? How many have there been now? Like 15 or 20? (There were 3 or 4 “California falling” predictions AFTER 1998.) It just does not seem to matter to anyone what happened (i.e., did NOT happen) in the past. It’s all forgotten and forgiven. Robert Burton is still the Conscious Being in town, the proof being that The Absolute has now visited him 3 times. How does anyone know this? Because Robert Burton said so, and Robert Burton is a Conscious Being. And who knows, but this time, “Influence C” might be giving out accurate information.

In case anyone misplaced their scorecard, that’s the day Robert Burton met Alex Horn. At least according to the version of their meeting as told by Burton. Well actually, he has rarely made it clear that he met Horn on that day. What he says is that’s when he met “Influence C.” But a very sharp “student” figured out some years ago that that date of meeting “Influence C” and Alex Horn coincided, and that Alex Horn must be “Influence C.”

In any case, he has been celebrating the 50th anniversary of “Meeting Influence C” for a year now. And right now is the big weekend, not only the culmination of another “Journey Forth” gathering (and a large one), but the pinnacle of a year-long build-up of excitement. Endless meetings (4 in 5 days, 3 days in a row, through Tuesday), dinners, “fund-raising” activities, a performance of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. And I’m willing to bet that “The Absolute” will make his Fourth appearance sometime this weekend, probably on Tuesday, Sept 5. Perfect.

And the 2 nearby fires are also perfect, the smell of smoke, the extreme heat warning this weekend.

Pity the money-counters having to work all that overtime (without pay). Pity, too, the chefs working in 100+ temps to feed the masses visiting from the around the world.

But especially pity the 1500 or so lost souls who still believe that Robert Burton holds their ticket to Paradise, and who have given all their will and power and personal responsibility to a fake guru.

# 108:
All that excitement and effort by the followers, swallowing then regurgitating another fib or accidental blurt the charlatan Burton spewed in some random neurological spasm decades ago! The more meaningless and crazy the appearance of the vomit, the harder the laity tries to find pattern and meaning and wisdom in it. I’m sure the explainers–in–chief are busy ‘polishing the turd’ right now. It can be done, but requires a lot of preparation, effort and time.

Luckily, talented players have re–enacted a historical record of their first efforts. In this video, Jamie Hynman plays Girard Haven, and Adam Savage pays Linda Tussilo/Kaplan/whatever. The role of C-Influence is played by Jason Arnold.

After much study of Braverman’s words and methods, I believe I can start to ‘key’ this one. First, the setting. The scenery is obviously allegorical: the Academy as it actually is. Beneath the ‘Faux French Bordello’ decoration, it is just a drab building, lined with shelves that store the lost illusions of innocents.

Whoa, that’s deep!

Anything round: symbols of unity and all–encompassing wisdom.

On a roll here!

The first scene is a dreamscape, where one of the round objects is lovingly removed from a genuine Japanese copy of a forgery of an intricately carved imitation Chinese box obviously represents the initial vision: the quest for and attainment of wisdom. And one is one thirtieth of thirty, a prophecy foreseeing the Sequence yet to be invented. This dream scene is highly significant!
See how the protagonists engage their emotional centers, this provides the purifying fire that St. Bernard of Clairvaux refers to, the energy that will allow them to wrestle forth reality from the dream.

The first trials with mud, as depicted in the fourth window to the right in Chartres; the initial attempts at manifesting ‘what is’ from the infinite worlds of mere possibilities, the work of Man number four. See the first stumbling results, the irregularity of the globe. Later, after intentional efforts and much practice, the globe becomes smooth and glossy, and the result is fine—but this is as far as one can go with such coarse materials. This reminds us of the Jewish Old Testament creation mythology in the book of Genesis, or the Churning of the Milky Ocean, I forget which.

Then the next stage, the introduction of finer materials from higher worlds, represented by the lion dung. This dung is provided by courtesy of Burton, who has had a deep, abiding interest in turds since childhood. Note that he is the only one who can recognize the particular quality and source of this sample; he has kindly prevailed on Leonardo to spare some for his followers.
Lion, the mighty lion, king of the jungle (oops, better not go there!). Lion, the mighty lion, noble and purpose–filled, represents the Absolute (before Burton came to equal and even surpass him), and even his excrement, World 6 energies, are rare and precious. What a gift that he leaves them lying around so that Girard, the luckiest of the followers of Burton may study and refine them! Note that in this scene, Linda, a mere lowly worthless worm of a woman, accepts that her fate is to not become conscious in this lifetime, and gracefully steps aside. The body language of the actor playing Linda conveys all this in a few economical gestures that escape the notice of all but the most perceptive in the audience, those truly in the moment.

Lovingly handled and massaged by Girard, with the encouragement of Linda, over days, months and years, the turds start to gain a sheen and the perfect globularity of groupthink. Their color is interpreted as dull gold, meaning that this is as far as mortals can take them in this lifetime. But there are plenty of lifetimes and roles left to perfect them, as long as one continues to send money, obedience and adoration to Burton!

Observe the subtle messages conveyed by the expressions of these superb actors. Without employing words or even gestures, we the audience suddenly realize that off–stage, Burton is giving orders for the turds to be gilded so they perfectly match the rest of his collection. Much rejoicing amongst the followers— glory, glory, they are worthy, see them glitter! All those efforts have been personally sanctified by the licensed agent of the Absolute, Burton herself. In years to come, they will inspire and energize the followers as they root around in the detritus of our collapsed civilization (to occur in 1996, no, 1998, nope, 2002, uh–uh, 2012, sorry, 2016, no but getting close, 2017, 2018, who cares?)

Here the play ends, leaving the audience in breathless suspense, as intentionally written by the playwright even before time began.
This begs the question, what is the Rest of the Story?

A truly Shakespearean performance, stuffed with esoteric meanings, hidden in plain sights amongst the YouTube dross. He who has eyes to see, let him see!

P.S., I invite readers to provide their own ‘keys’ and interpretations. Really, it’s not that hard. Simply look at the scenes in this or any video, or even in real life, and if you see ‘anything’ in quantities between one and thirty, you’re off to a good start. Throw in the phrases, ‘long be’ and ‘short be’ at random. Now, do you see any numbers that add up to anything between one and thirty? Multiples that do the same? Any prime numbers? Close is good enough in this esoteric work. Mention the ‘four wordless breaths’ from time to time to show you mean it, this is serious. I know, I didn’t do that in the example above, I left it up to you guys.

Of course, any good ‘keying’ is going to refer to ‘Churning of the Milky Ocean’ or something to do with Chartres cathedral, preferably one of the stained–glass windows. Now open the Bible to any page. Or ‘In Search of the Miraculous’. Or any books by any philosopher. Or aphorisms by the Buddha. Or the Mahabharata. In an emergency, you can ever use John Grisham novels if you don’t have anything better (but not anything by Barbara Cartland, that is going too far). Close your eyes, and stab randomly with a pencil. Copy down the phrase nearest the mark. Now add that to your interpretation and subtract four, ten, or any multiple of three, as long as it is equal to or less than thirty. See what I mean about easy? And Braverman and Yudin and Burton actually get paid for this shit?

Now for the truly sublime interpretations, only for advanced practitioners of the art of ‘keying’. Notice how one of the protagonists has gloves on while he polishes the lion turd in a later scene? Ordinary viewers would assume that these gloves cover five fingers, right? But no, you are free to claim that there are actually only four fingers (signifying four wordless breaths—or is it four breathless words?) plus a prosthetic (which maybe represents Incomplete Combustion, or the Lower Self gaining ascendance, or something).

Another example, if you down six (three plus three) margaritas in quick succession and look at the video in a mirror and squint a lot, one of the boxes on the shelves in the background is maybe labelled, “251/18”. Then it vanishes in a flash as the camera focuses in on the actors. Did you catch that? This means that Apollo, Burton and all the followers will vanish in fire and brimstone on January 1st, 2018, as the devil recalls his own. See, you can be inspired to say anything you want, it has all been written since the dawn of time anyway! But be careful, once you start it is difficult to stop, as I can attest.

Stopping “Teaching Payments” does not mean you stop being under the grip of the psychopaths here in Oregon Fucking House, even if you are just a ganja grower. The network of demons is in full swing. You can see them all happy and sweet and friendly but it is so obvious how they are all sucking blood-Soul. It is been said over and over, NO CONTACT – is the only way to start loosing that grip. And even that, with the internet, -here we are, suckers!

“They want to fuck you, and you – sometimes – would like to be fucked – if only to make you feel closer. To make you feel wanted.” And special… The winner!

“It is the hugely unequal power dynamic.” – “Yes, and he first gets power over people by getting them to trust him and be dependent on him.”

The network of demons is in full swing.

“It is impossible to outsmart a narcissist. This is The Uncanny Reality: Narcissists have the most expert ability to find every insecurity, every weak link and target it with full intensity.

crossroads, I wouldn’t take that approach… “outsmarting” implies (to me), competition… I think a better approach is taking every measure to avoid the narcissist… go around, one doesn’t have to go through or necessarily “defeat” these sorts of people… much as one may wish to. After all, life IS for learning and one should have a pretty well attuned indicator for narcissistic types after the FOF experience and whatever exposure one was subjected to by an unquestionable specimen of living, breathing malignant narcissism… along with his coven of fledgling aspirants in that direction.